The constant pinging of your phone is giving you ringxiety

A lot of research has been done on how a phone affects the brain in terms of changing our behaviour, mental health, and well-being as well. A study on smartphone addiction in 2017 found that notifications can alter your brain chemistry, creating an imbalance in your brain. The study also showed a link between smartphone use and anxiety, depression and impulsivity. In addition, your notifications constantly being on can cause a pattern called ‘switch cost’. This is when an interruption such as a notification distracts our attention from a task.

Joshi explained that the number of likes and positive comments that we get activates the reward centre of the brain and hence addiction becomes highly likely. “The constant barrage of notifications can create a sense of urgency and a fear of missing out (FOMO), leading to a compulsive need to check and respond to notifications even if they are not critical or important,” he noted.

Phantom vibrations are experienced by many people. These mysterious tricks that the brain plays make us check our phones unnecessarily and find mistaken sensations from the phone.

This can result in a range of negative emotions such as anxiety, distraction, and decreased productivity. It can also lead to a lack of focus, poor sleep, and other negative impacts on mental health and well-being.

Though we can’t completely do away with our phones, we can manage the anxiety that comes with them. Let us help you.

6 ways to manage ringxiety

1. 01

   Get more real life contact

   To achieve a better balance in your life, researchers suggest getting more in-person contact with friends, family, and colleagues, rather than relying exclusively on digital interactions. Research also indicates that relationships without any face-to-face contact lack trust necessary for authentic relationships to develop.

2. 02

   Switch your phone to silent

   It seems simple, but if you can’t hear your notifications then they can’t stress you out. Make sure to put a schedule in place to stop you from checking your phone just in case.

3. 03

   Making the most of your phone’s wellbeing settings

   Auto ‘Do-Not-Disturb’ modes and priority notifications help you filter and reduce notifications and features such as unlock counters help you understand how you use your phone so you can break the cycle.

4. 04

   Scheduled send

   As your office initiative, set hours in which you can send and receive emails, and make the most of scheduled send in non-urgent situations so that you’re not responsible for other colleagues' out-of-hours stress.

5. 05

   Turn your phone off at night

   Turning off your phone might seem stressful but by removing the opportunity you’re less likely to see something you don’t want to when you check the time, and more likely to get the sleep you need.

6. 06

   Batching notifications

   Delivering notifications in predictable intervals throughout the day could improve psychological well-being. It is associated with feeling more attentive, productive, in a better mood, and in greater control of their phones.

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!